Vulpix and Shovels
by between-the-stars
Summary: Ash and his friends are going about their usual regime. They arrive in a town, May is looking forward to her next Contest, and a female trainer might be able to use their help. However, amidst their normal circumstances, something different is brewing...
1. Vulpix and Shovels

Introduction

More than likely, if you've watched the Pokémon anime series for a while, you've noticed that the plot outlines gets extremely repetitive.

And, if you're a Team Rocket fan, it's also more than likely that you resent how many times Jessie, James, and Meowth have been "blasted off", quite unconditionally by Ash.

So, taking those two things in mind, I decided to do a parody on the cookie-cutter episodes of Pokemon. For the parody part, I made the first chapter in the style of a script; it might make it easier to visualize this on the television then. I hope that's all right...

Also, on a different note, if you have a hard time understanding Meowth, try saying his lines out loud; it sometimes helps.

Now, of course… What good is a parody if there's no slight twist at the end...?

Note: All of the actions used to be in brackets, but I had to change them all to parentheses. Yes, I know it's annoying.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Pokemon in any way, fashion, or form. I'm just a strange fan.

* * *

Chapter One

"Vulpix and Shovels"

(Fade in to Ash, Brock, May, Max, and Pikachu walking down a dirt road in a forest.)

Narrator: As our heroes travel through the deep forest in hopes of reaching the next town in their journey, it appears that all is not as it seems…

(Suddenly, a giant rubber arm on a stick shoots out from the brush and grabs Pikachu, then withdraws to the bushes.)

Pikachu: Pikaaa!

Ash: Ah! Pikachu!

(Cue maniacal laughter from an unknown location.) (Ash and Friends stop and look around for the source.)

(Enter Jessie, James, and Meowth from behind the bushes with Pikachu on the rubber arm.)

Jessie: Ah ha ha ha ha! Prepare for trouble!

James: And make it double!

Jessie: To protect the world from devastation!

Ash: (interrupts them right away) Team Rocket! Give back my Pikachu right now!

May: (points at them) Yeah, you crooks! It's not yours!

Jessie: Ha! I beg to differ!

Meowth: Yeah, dat's right! We're da ones who've got Pikachu now!

Ash: Rrrg… (points finger at Pikachu) Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!

Pikachu: (nods) Pikaa--- (uses Thunderbolt, but the rubber arm absorbs the shock) Chu?

Ash: What? Oh no!

Max: It absorbed the attack!

James: Ha ha! This glove is made from super-insulated materials! Inexpensive too!

Ash: (not really listening) Pikachu, I'll save you! Go, Taillow! (throws Pokeball)

(Taillow appears from the Pokeball)

Taillow: Taaai!

Ash: (in a triangle in the corner of the screen) Taillow, dive and break the arm holding Pikachu!

(Taillow screeches again, follows Ash's instructions, and breaks the arm.) (Pikachu is free, and flies into the air.)

Brock: (in a corner while the middle is still showing Pikachu in the air) All right!

Jessie: (in another corner, looking horrified) Oh no! Our insulated glove!

Pikachu: Pika! (is caught by Ash)

Ash: (laughs) Pikachu! Are you okay, little buddy?

Pikachu: Pika! (jumps down from Ash's arms and onto the ground)

(Team Rocket strikes a frightened pose)

Ash: Okay, Pikachu… Use Thunder!

Pikachu: Pikaaaa…CHUU! (rocks lift as Pikachu sends a powerful bolt of electricity towards Team Rocket)

(Team Rocket scream, and the force of the attack sends them soaring in the air.)

Jessie, James, and Meowth: Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off already! (They disappear in the sky with a bright glint.)

May and Max: Hooray!

(Ash gives Pikachu an affectionate rub on the head.) (All smile)

(Cut to the bushes, where a girl with navy blue hair, magenta eyes, and a red baseball cap and clothes has been watching the battle with her mouth wide open in astonishment.)

(Cut to title screen) (Cue Episode Title Fanfare)

Ash's Voice: (reading the Episode Title aloud) "Vulpix and Shovels"!

(End Title Fanfare)

(Enter Ash and Company in a Pokemon Center)

Ash: Hi, Nurse Joy! Could you give our Pokemon a check-up and make sure they're okay?

Nurse Joy: Sure! I'd be happy to! (smiles and takes all of their Pokemon at once.)

Brock: Oh! (eyes bug out in heart shapes) (He rushes up to Nurse Joy and takes her hands.)

Nurse Joy: Huh?

Brock: (rosy backdrop appears) Nurse Joy, my life has been like a desolate and barren field without your company! It would give me great honor if you would give my lonesome heart a check-up as well!

Max: (rose backdrop disappears) All right, that's enough there, Brock… (grabs him by the ear and pulls him away from the shocked Joy)

Brock: (in background) Ow, ow, not the ear!

May: Uh… (sweatdrops as Brock is swept away) Well, Nurse Joy, we were wondering how far the next Pokemon Contest is from this town.

Nurse Joy: Oh, it's not too far. In fact, I had another girl ask me the same thing earlier today.

May: Really?

Nurse Joy: Yes. You might be able to find her around here if you look. It's always a good idea to get to know your opponents if you two will be competing against each other.

May: Yeah! We can try to have a chat if we find her.

Nurse Joy: Good. (turns to the computer that's analyzing the Pokeballs) Now, then, I think all your Pokemon are fine. Just be sure to keep them healthy! (smiles and hands them back)

Ash: Great! Thanks, Nurse Joy. (accepts the Pokeballs)

Max: Great! I'm starving! Let's go over to the cafeteria!

(All four enter the Pokemon Center cafeteria.) (Ash, Brock, and Max hurry to the counter to order, but May lags and sees a girl wearing red clothes sitting at a table with a Vulpix. The girl has magenta eyes and is trying to give the Vulpix a spoonful of something.)

Girl: Come on, Vulpix, this'll help ease it… Don't worry about the taste…

May: (to the girl) Um, excuse me… Is your Vulpix okay?

Girl: (jumps out of surprise when she sees May) (Her Vulpix finally swallows the spoonful.) Oh, uh, well, I suppose so. You see, we were planning on entering the next Contest in the next town, but poor Vulpix got a bad cough, and I'm not sure she's up to using a Flamethrower. I think I'll wait for her to get better.

Vulpix: (sounds sort of croaky) Vuuuul… (The girl strokes it.)

May: That's too bad… (looks sorry, but then perks up) You know, I was going to enter in the Contest too. Maybe if your Vulpix gets better soon, we can compete against each other!

Girl: That might be nice, I guess. Oh! I'm sorry; I haven't introduced myself, have I? My name is Caldera.

May: And my name's May! It's good to meet you.

(Ash, Brock, and Max appear behind May with several bags of food.)

Ash: Say, May, who's this?

May: This is Caldera. She was going to enter the Contest too.

Caldera: (smiles politely) Hello.

Ash: Hi! I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town!

Max: I'm Max!

Brock: And I'm Brock. Nice to meet you.

Pikachu: Pika! (smiles and raises an arm in greeting)

Caldera: (is still smiling politely) …It's nice to meet all of you too.

(Cut to later, when Ash, Brock, May, Max, and Caldera are all sitting down at a table together, presumably having finished their meal.)

(Vulpix coughs)

Max: Uhhh, so did Nurse Joy give you that cough syrup for your Vulpix's cough?

Caldera: (nods) Uh-huh. I hope it works, because I don't want her to come down with anything worse…

Brock: I happen to make my own Pokemon food. Do you think it might help, Caldera?

Caldera: Your own Pokemon food?

Brock: (whips out a box of those brown pellets) (extends one to Vulpix) Here, try one! It's not bad, I promise! It might even get rid of your cough!

Vulpix: Vul? (looks curious)

(Caldera is in the background, looking unsure)

Brock: Yeah, it's not bad, Vulpix. It's okay.

(Vulpix sniffs the pellet cautiously, then takes a bite.)

Ash: Did it help?

Brock: Feel any better?

(Vulpix coughs again, this time several times.) (Brock looks disappointed.)

Caldera: Well, thanks for trying, Brock. (takes her Vulpix off the table and puts it in her arms)

May: Maybe if it rests, it'll get better faster.

Caldera: Maybe, but I'm not about to rush recovery. (strokes Vulpix again)

Max: Don't you have another Pokemon that you could enter in the Contest instead?

Caldera: (shakes head) Uh-uh. Vulpix is my only Pokemon.

Max: That's stupid; you should always have lots of— (May elbows her brother.)

May: (laughs to cover up Max's comment) (sweatdrops) Well, we really hope Vulpix gets better!

Caldera: (appears not to have noticed the comment in the least) Thanks, May. We appreciate it.

Ash: (stands up with his classic determined look and clenched fist) Hey, maybe if you get Vulpix to practice, it won't have to worry about having to use its Flamethrower in the Pokemon Contest!

Brock: Ash, I don't really think that will help…

Ash: Aw, come on! (marches proudly out of the cafeteria) (The others are left blinking at the door where he disappeared.) (Ash's head reappears in the threshold.) Hey, aren't you guys coming?

Brock, Max, and May: (collectively) Uhhhhhhhhhh… (all but Ash sweatdrop)

Caldera: Sorry, Ash… The issue here is whether or not Vulpix is well enough, not if she can.

Ash: But I'm sure that if you work hard, Vulpix'll be fine for the next Contest. All it takes is some practice! Come on, show us your stuff!

Caldera: …Ash, Vulpix and I can be patient… (looks at him meaningfully)

Ash: Oh, fine… I still think it might work, though. (glumly sits backs down)

May: So there's nothing we can do to help?

Caldera: No, I'm afraid not. But thanks for offering anyway…

(Pikachu's ears perk)

Pikachu: Pi?

Ash: Huh? What is it, Pikachu?

Pikachu: (points out the door) Pika pi!

(All poke their heads around the corner to look around the corner.) (A large crowd surrounds a small stand by some woodland on the edge of town.) (Ash, Company, and Caldera step forward to investigate.)

Max: (to a random person in the back of the mob) Hey—what exactly is going on?

Random Person: These guys have come up with a load of Oran Berries—and they're selling them for really cheap too! Listen, if you want some, you'd better hurry before they run out! (turns away from Ash and Co. and back to the crowd)

Brock: (looks thoughtful) Oran Berries? I've heard about those. They restore a Pokemon's health.

May: (to Caldera) Hey, maybe that would help your Vulpix!

Caldera: (slowly) Maybe…

Vulpix: Vuul—(coughs)

(Ash, Brock, May, Max, and Caldera battle their way to the front of the crowd, where three people are handing out Oran Berries to the customers and shouting out marketing slogans.) (All three sellers are wearing brown vest-jackets and brown hats to match. The two taller ones also have glasses.)

Seller #1: (has blue hair sticking out from underneath his hat) That's right, folks, get these berries while they last!

Seller #2: (has a long mass of reddish hair behind her) We only have limited supplies!

Seller #3: (is unusually short, and has obvious whiskers, a fake beard, and a hint of gold below his hat) That's right, that's right! (starts) (quietly to the other two sellers) Oh no! Twoip alert!

Seller #1: (also quietly to the other sellers) What? (sees what the third seller was talking about) Eee!

Seller #2: (openly) Um… Well pardon us, folks, we seem to have run out of berries for the moment! Stay here while we get our backup stash! Please stick around! (pulls down a screen in Ash and Caldera's faces)

(Ash and Friends look taken aback.)

(Cut back inside the stand) (Sellers #1 and #2 crouch down for the shorter #3.)

Seller #3: What're we gonna do? Those twoips are here!

Seller #1: But, Meowth, we're not doing anything wrong. We picked those berries fair and square from a wild tree! We even planted an extra one to be nice.

Seller #2: But we're rarely nice! Huh. But you know them. It probably turns out it was some person's tree and we're selling them wrongly or something.

Seller #3/Meowth: Hmm, but James's got a point, Jess. Dey can't do nuttin' to us 'cause we ain't doin' anyt'ing wrong!

Seller #2/Jessie: (sighs heavily) You'd better be right… We're not making too much selling all this… The Boss won't be too happy when we still can't pay off our debts…

Seller #3/Meowth: Hey! I've got an idea!

(Both Jessie and James turn to look at him.)

Seller #1/James: What sort of idea?

Seller #3/Meowth: Didn't you see dat Vulpix in the crowd?

Seller #2/Jessie: Yeah, so?

Seller #3/Meowth: Well, picture this: (The picture fades into a cartoon-y environment with Giovanni in chibi form.) (Meowth narrates.) The Boss is gettin' up oi-ly in da mornin', see?

(James and Jessie say, "Uh-huh" in the background.)

Seller #3/ Meowth: …And he starts wishin' he had some cooked eggs 'cause he's hungry, but there ain't nuttin' to cook it with. (The cartoon shows Giovanni sulking by his bed.) And den, along comes Vulpix, in all its beauty, with a pan of eggs of its back! The Vulpix uses its Flamethrower to fry da Boss's eggs so he can finally get his breakfast! (Cartoon has Giovanni gulping down the eggs.) That's when he says, (Cartoon shifts back to normal animation and shows Giovanni.) "I must reward Meowth and his friends for bringin' me such a fine Vulpix!"

(Fade back to Jessie, James and Meowth)

(Meowth looks proud, and Jessie and James look immensely pleased with the idea.)

Both: Ahhhhh! Big promotions!

Seller #2/Jessie: Let's go catch ourselves a Vulpix!

All Three: Yeeee-ay!

Seller #1/James: Well, then, let's not leave our customers waiting, shall we?

(The three zip back up and pull up the screen, smiling at the impatient crowd.)

Seller #2/Jessie: Ha ha! Sorry to keep you all waiting, folks! We now have some more berries for you! (holds out a basket of them)

Ash: Great! Let's get some!

Caldera: Uh… (tilts head)

Ash: Okay! (reaches for the basket when he catches James's eye, who shudders when Ash and Pikachu lean closer)

(James recovers quickly.)

Seller #1/James: (In the background, Jessie and Meowth are zipping to and from places, handling the other customers.) Now, young lad, can I interest you in something?

Ash: (still inspecting them) You guys look awfully familiar…

Seller #1/James: (slight sweatdrop) Ah, you must have seen us when we were selling our goods in another town. We travel quite frequently, you know.

Ash: (stops looking over them) Uhh, okay, I guess.

May: (steps forward) Hey, can we buy some Oran Berries, sir?

Seller #1/James: Most certainly, young lady. How many would you like?

(Cut to Meowth)

Seller #3/Meowth: (A little baby in a mother's arms is trying to pull off his fake beard.) Ow, ow, kid, stop it, yer gonna tear off half my faaaaaace! (The baby chuckles innocently.)

(Close up to Meowth's beard) (The false beard rips off, taking his hat along with it, revealing Meowth's entire face.)

Meowth: Uh? (eyes are wide as he blinks and looks uncertain)

(Ash and Friends lean back slightly and gasp) (The rest of the crowd step backward, stunned.)

Max: It's Meowth!

Seller #3/Meowth: Ahh! Oh no! (sweeps up his hat)

(Jessie and James step up onto the counter.)

Seller #2/Jessie: Ha ha! Prepare for trouble; you know that it's us!

Seller #1/James: And make it double, but don't make a fuss.

Seller #2/Jessie: (An action background appears behind them.) To protect the world from devastation!

Seller #1/James: To unite all people within our nation!

Seller #2/Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love!

Seller #1/James: To extend our reach to the stars above!

Seller #2/Jessie: Ha ha! (throws off costume to reveal her Team Rocket uniform) Jessie! (background changes to a picture of the galaxy)

Seller #1/James: Ha ha! (reveals his uniform as well) James!

Jessie: Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light! (both Jessie and James stand near a giant red "R")

James: Surrender now, or prepare to fight!

Meowth: (falls from the top of the screen) Meowth, dat's right!

Wobbuffet: (suddenly appears underneath Meowth) Woooooobbuffet! (salutes)

(galaxy background disappears) (Cue Team Rocket's ominous theme)

Ash: (points at them) Team Rocket! I should've known it was you three!

Jessie: Yes, you should have!

Meowth: (suddenly produces the same kind of rubber glove used in the beginning of the episode from behind him and seizes Vulpix out from Caldera's arms)

Vulpix: Vuuul—(coughs)

Caldera: Vulpix!

Max: Oh no!

Ash: We won't let you get away with this! Go, Taillow! (throws a Pokeball, and Taillow emerges) (Ash's face is now shown in the bottom corner.) Taillow, set Vulpix free! (Taillow is about to do so.)

Jessie: Don't think we're falling for that again! Go, Seviper! (also throws a Pokeball and Seviper comes out)

Seviper: Se-_vi_per!

Jessie: Attack with Poison Tail!

(Seviper rushes forward towards Taillow.)

Ash: Dodge it! (Taillow dodges Seviper.)

James: Cacnea, let's go! (Cacnea's Pokeball is thrown)

Cacnea: Cack! (turns around and tries to hugs James with its thorny arms)

James: Augh! No, please, Cacnea, not right now! Use Pin Missile!...

(Meanwhile, Meowth is trying to sneak away with Vulpix.)

Brock: (sees him) Stop right there! Go, Forretress! (Forretress comes out from its Pokeball.) Rapid Spin, now!

Forretress: Foreh-truss! (closes up and starts spinning towards Meowth and the rubber glove-arm) (hits, and Meowth loses his grip on the gadget)

Meowth: Gah! (hits Jessie and James into their battling Pokemon) (All of them are now in a heap.)

(The rubber contraption flies in the air, and Vulpix is freed.)

Caldera: Vulpix!

Max: I can catch it! (rushes forward and catches Vulpix) Yeah! (hands Vulpix back to Caldera)

Caldera: ...Thank you, Max… (strokes Vulpix fondly, but then places her on the ground…)

Ash: Hmm! (turns angrily to Jessie, James, Meowth, and their Pokemon) All right, Team Rocket!

Jessie: Oh dear! (James and Meowth shudder.)

Caldera: (looks rather cross) Ash--! Wait--!

Ash: (doesn't hear her) Now… Pikachu! Let's teach these guys a lesson!

Caldera: (tone rises heatedly) ASH---!

Ash: (still doesn't hear her) (Action background appears and Ash is about to bring his pointed finger downwards to direct Pikachu.) Pikachu, use Thunderbo—

Caldera: (Abruptly runs up in front of Pikachu's sparking cheeks, and in between Ash and Team Rocket, her arms outstretched.) STOOOOOP! (Her face is distorted with fury.)

(Caldera's face is kept in the center of the screen, and all of the other characters' startled expressions are shown one by one in a mosaic around it.)

Ash: Caldera, what are you doing! Get out of the way! You'll get shocked!

Caldera: Ash—Ketchum! (face has turned bright red) What do you think you're doing!

Ash: (lowers his pointed finger and looks confused) …Huh?

Caldera: I said, "What do you think you're doing?"

Ash: (expression changes back to determination/anger) We're getting rid of these troublemakers who stole your Vulpix, that's what!

Max: They deserve it!

Caldera: Really? Listen, _no one_ deserves what you've put them through every time you've met them! I've watched you before! This morning I even saw you "teach them a lesson" by sending thousands of watts of electricity into them and sending them flying miles away! If you think that's what "heroes" do—

Brock: Caldera, hold on! You may not know them very well, but these guys are the bane of every Pokemon trainer alive!

May: Yeah, Caldera, Team Rocket is never up to anything good! The only thing they're good for is making trouble!

Caldera: That doesn't matter! All of you should be ashamed of yourselves; hurting fellow humans and even Pokemon like this! You say I don't know them—but tell me this, guys, do _you_ know them well enough to know that they're completely evil!

(Ash, May, Max, and Brock stop to ponder this, but Caldera goes on, furious.)

Caldera: See? The truth is, you don't! I've watched you do this on the news, and I've even heard Officer Jenny praise you for doing so many "wonderful", "heroic", and "great" jobs for her! Sure, this Team Rocket deserves punishment, but you're going about it the wrong way! These guys are just as human as you are, whether you can see it or not! (waves her right hand erratically behind her, towards the stunned silent Team Rocket)

(Caldera is done ranting angrily, and has turned red from both the effort and the fury.)

Caldera: (sits down on the grass and breathes heavily) (in a quieter, more gentle tone) I'm sorry if I sound bad. But it's just that, this time, I was finally able to step in and stop you from hurting these people any more. (closes eyes in thoughtfulness) You always say they have to be taught a lesson—have they ever learned from your technique?

(Still, no one else can muster the speech to reply.)

(Caldera stands and picks up Vulpix from the ground.) (Camera only views Caldera's arms as she does so.)

Caldera: (Camera only views her arms with Vulpix again.) Someone once said that the most efficient way to destroy an enemy is to make them your friend…

Caldera: (pause) So… Forgive my outburst, forgive my sappiness, forgive me…and forgive each other…please…

(Caldera then disappears into the forest, leaving everyone to stare at the place she had been.)


	2. A Long Way to Go

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon whatsoever. If I did, I most likely wouldn't be writing about it on this site.

* * *

Chapter Two

"A Long Way to Go"

Ash and his friends, along with the heap of Team Rocket, failed to do anything for a moment. What were they supposed to do?

When Caldera was well out of sight, Ash turned slowly to look at Brock behind him, but his gaze was still fixed on the forest. The boy then looked to May and Max. They, on the other hand, were exchanging their own glances.

Ash finally realized that the crowd of customers Team Rocket had had had thinned out and gone. They had been so wrapped up in battling that they had disappeared like mist.

Pikachu, still standing in front of him with its back to him, seemed unsure of the whole situation.

Ash then glanced at Jessie, James, and Meowth on the grass next to their berry-selling stall, staring at the forest like Brock with the same amazed expression. He'd always despised them; they were annoying and were always in the way, too! He secretly thought, _How can Caldera possibly stand up for those crooks and waste so much breath?_ It boggled his mind.

The first real movement among the stunned group was made by Jessie and James when they recalled their Pokemon into their Pokeballs. Everyone stopped and turned to watch them, and Team Rocket stared right back.

James broke the ice.

"Well," he said slowly, "I'm afraid we can't stay here forever."

"That's right," Jessie followed up.

May looked as if she were about to say something, but no words came. Team Rocket then left without any further comments, although Ash could have sworn he saw all three cast a thoughtful glance backward.

When they, too, had left, Max sighed and sat on the ground.

"Boy, that was unexpected," he said blandly.

Brock simply put his hands on his hips and muttered, "I'll say." Ash merely groaned in reply.

"Hey, you know," May interrupted the brief silence, "shouldn't we go look for Caldera or something?"

"'Guess you're right," Ash agreed, as he called their Pokemon back. He hoped that she hadn't been _too_ angry with him.

When all four entered the forest and began walking in the direction they had seen the Vulpix trainer go, Brock suggested that they let Caldera cool off a bit, but May replied optimistically,

"Nah, she's had plenty of time. I bet we can just tell her we're sorry, and everything'll be fine."

Pikachu concurred enthusiastically with a "pika pi!"

"I dunno," Brock said, putting his left hand behind his head. "I mean, normally I'd agree with you, but we've never been in a situation like this before. Things aren't going the way they normally do today."

"It makes no sense," Ash declared loudly. They had finally walked into a clearing in the woods.

"Well, anyway, here's a good spot," Max noted, ignoring most of the conversation.

The crew stopped and spread out along the edges of the bushes. Then, as though rehearsed, they began calling out Caldera and Vulpix's names over and over while they stood stationary in the clearing.

"Ahh, this isn't any good," Ash pointed out after six and a half minutes without success.

"I bet we can find them faster if we split up," May suggested.

"Yeah!" Ash threw the same Pokeball into the air as he had before. Taillow flew out, and Ash quickly instructed it to find Caldera and Vulpix. It left with a call of "Tail!"

"All right, let's split up!"

As Brock finished the sentence, there were three nodded and they went separate ways into the trees to search.

"How can Caldera defend Team Rocket after they tried to steal her Vulpix?" May pondered, pushing aside a dangling branch. "How…?" She paused a moment in a shady spot to yell, "Calderaaaa!" once more, but it made no difference. May sighed and sat down in a heap next to one of the old maple trees.

"It's such a weird world," she mused to herself. As she had finished her private thought, she was suddenly startled when one of the bushes behind her rustled noisily.

"I finally found ya!" Max leapt out of the bush with his index finger outstretched at May. "We've been looking all over for you!"

"You have?" May asked, rather stunned. Her brother blinked for a moment, then regained his normal stance and straightened his glasses.

"No, I just mistook you for Caldera," he said as though it were her fault.

"Oh." May had to roll her eyes, then she sat up properly. "I guess you haven't had any luck, then."

"Well, no," Max said irritably. "If I had, I wouldn't be wandering around here."

May sighed again.

"Max, are we too hard on Team Rocket?"

"Huh?" was the only thing he could manage.

"Do you think we're too hard on Team Rocket like Caldera said?"

"Well," Max replied, "stealing's wrong; someone's gotta do _some_thing about them. It's just stupid of those three to keep trying to do it when we're all around."

"Hmm…" May wondered wordlessly. Then she stood up and said simply, "I guess we'd better keep looking so we can apologize, then."

"Yup."

Her brother hurried off with a nod, but without any further thought.

May was left to wander around some more in their search. Max was probably right.

After some time, Ash, Brock, May, and Max all met up again—still without the missing Caldera.

"I give up," Max sighed. "Let's go back to the Pokemon Center. At least then we can do something."

"She might even be there already," Brock said thoughtfully.

"I just hope we didn't waste all this time trying to find her." Ash turned and led the way back to the Center, still a bit cross.

When they arrived, May tried to ask Nurse Joy politely if Caldera had returned. The nurse paused and gave the girl an odd look, and then said,

"It's funny you should ask that."

"What?" May replied, blinking. "Why?"

"Because I've been at this counter all day, waiting for any injured Pokemon to come in. A little while ago, I noticed that Caldera's room key was in its cubby, but I know I gave it to her."

"But how—?" May began.

"But that's just the half of it," Nurse Joy went on, cutting May off. "I told my assistant to go look for her while I waited at the counter. He said he didn't find her, but he returned with the bottle of cough syrup I gave her Vulpix; it was completely full."

"Full!" Ash exclaimed incredulously.

"But we saw her giving Vulpix some!" May protested.

"Maybe she added some water to it to make the taste a bit milder," Brock suggested.

"No…" Nurse Joy said slowly. She was fiddling with something below the counter. Soon she pulled out the bottle and showed it to them. "The lid hasn't even been opened. And I'm sure this is Caldera's cough syrup, since I wrote the prescription on the label—here." She pointed to the handwritten amount Vulpix should be given and her signature.

"But—we _saw_ her give some to Vulpix!" Max continued to argue.

Nurse Joy placed the bottle carefully below the counter again.

"Well, it's best not to worry," she said. "I'm sure she's alright. But for now, all of you can get something to eat and rest up your Pokemon."

The foursome exchanged glances. Just what was going on here?


	3. Something Different

Ah! If this shows up, then it worked! Thanks for the tips on the chapter uploading, Oklina.

Also, much much thanks to Sash Ruby. That was the first review I've ever gotten on the site! I feel this thrill when I read them. Thanks for your positive comments!

And thanks again to Oklina. This story wouldn't be here otherwise!

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. Surely you know that...

* * *

Chapter Three

"Something Different"

"Well, what should we do now?"

"Personally, I think we need a break."

"I could use dat!"

Jessie, James, and Meowth were, meanwhile, wandering the streets in search of something to do. No Pokemon were up for grabs; certainly no one was going to try and buy anything from them after the little "show" they had put on with Ash and the other twerps.

The three, on the other hand, still had their berry-selling earnings—at least they could use that in some way to relax after the hectic day.

The waitress turned around to face them, cleaning an empty glass with her spare hand.

"Can I help you?" she asked blandly.

"We'd like three strawberry cones, please," James said at the counter of the little ice cream shop.

The waitress looked at them carefully.

"Aren't you three the ones I heard about earlier this afternoon? Tried to steal a Vulpix or something of the sort, I recall?"

James took a step backwards, for fear of getting yelled at and thrown out of the restaurant without getting any dessert.

"Eh, customers are customers, so long as you don't give me counterfeit cash." The woman then turned around and called to the back of the shop, "Three strawberry cones, small!"

When James handed her some money to pay, the lady had to scrutinize every inch herself, as well as get one of her assistants to check it out. In the end, she gave them their ice cream; all three looked relieved and seated themselves in a booth.

"Ahhhh," Jessie sighed nostalgically when she tasted the cold sweet. "Oh, it brings back memories, doesn't it, James?"

"Mm-hm." He only nodded in reply, smiling broadly while sampling his own.

"Ya know, it's too bad we ain't gonna be able to afford dis again," Meowth said.

"Don't remind me," Jessie groaned, slumping over the table slightly. Then she perked up angrily. "Why do the twerps have to ruin us every time we manage to get something done!"

"There, there, Jess," James said soothingly, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"Maybe we should just quit while we's ahead next time," Meowth suggested.

"Team Rocket does not settle for less than the possible!" Jessie found herself exclaiming.

"It's at times like dis I wish we weren't following those twoips."

"Still," James said, trying to remain calm, "it was pretty gutsy of that girl to stand up for us."

"Even with Pikachu sittin' right dere, 'bout ta shock us!" Meowth said admiringly.

"It's hard to remember the last time any of the twerps' friends actually did anything for us."

"An' for once we ain't blasted off!"

"Yeah, it really was nice seeing someone who cared about treating us with respect. …Don't you agree, Jess?"

Jessie had been stewing on her booth cushion for some time during James and Meowth's conversation. Her left temple was pulsing—a sign of restrained anger.

"Yes, it was nice of her, but she just got herself mixed up in the whole thing when she didn't need to. Those twerps really ought to have realized it before! Besides, I hate girls who try to butt into other people's business."

"But she was trying ta help at least." Meowth objected. "She didn't sic her Vulpix on us or anyt'ing."

"Hmph," Jessie grumbled again, fumbling with her ice cream with the plastic spoon. "Why do they hate us so much anyway?"

"Because we steal their Pokemon!" James exclaimed, sweatdropping a little.

"It's what we do, ain't it?" Meowth poked in again. "Dey've almost got a good reason for hating us."

"What should we do now?" Jessie asked glumly.

James paused for a moment, then replied, "We'll just follow the twerps around like we always have, won't we? It's rarely made a difference what happens day after day."

"Remind me again why we do this all the time," Jessie sighed again. "Chasing after Pikachu…"

"Buying dem robots dat always gets destroyed…" Meowth piped in.

"Digging holes…" James followed up.

"Putting on disguises…"

"Using that stupid extendable glove…"

"…And electric-proof containers, nets, bags, and accessories…"

The three stared up at the ceiling of the ice cream store and sighed in unison.

"We always say we wanna please Giovanni, but he's never really cared much for us anyways," Meowth pointed out dejectedly, finishing off his own strawberry dish.

"That's only because we can't seem to ever give him anything. How many times have Butch and Cassidy brought him a nice load of Pokemon or cash?"

"Botch an' Cassidy prob'ly get lotsa Pokemon to give 'im to butter him up fer a promotion…"

They watched their ice cream for a second, as if hoping it would come alive and offer a suggestion. In their moment of silence, a teenage boy with bluish hair and a white vest walked up to them, looking genuinely concerned.

"Hi," he said. Jessie, James, and Meowth looked up. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation."

"Hey, that's our business, buster!" Jessie snapped.

"Yes, I know, I'm very sorry," the boy said, sweatdropping and putting his hands up to show he was sincere.

"It ain't too nice sticking your nose where it don't belong," the cat Pokemon said.

"I was just wishing I could help. You know, maybe help you patch things up with those people you call 'the twerps'," he continued to persist.

"Patch things up with the twerps?" James exclaimed incredulously.

"Well, yes," the boy said timidly. "After all, it isn't good to hold grudges for so long."

"But da twoips are twoipy. Dey don' wanna have anyt'ing to do wid us," Meowth said.

"I have an idea, then. Suppose you wore disguises and spent some time with them. If they turned out to be not as bad as you thought, what would you do then?"

"Fat chance of that happening," Jessie declared. "Our disguises just get found out in the end anyway. Besides," she added curtly, "why should we be doing what you tell us to do?"

"Well, it seems to me that you really ought to be making friends with—"

"_Friends!_" all three Rocket members exclaimed in unison.

"Hey, you may've said 'makin' up', but you sure didn't say nuttin' 'bout bein' friends!"

"That's crossing over the line, Buster!"

"Preposterous!"

"Outrageous!"

"Yeah, a real shocker!"

The boy laughed somewhat apprehensively.

"I'm sorry," he apologized again. "I was only making a suggestion. You don't have to follow through if you really don't want to. But I just wanted to try and help a bit…"

"I think you've made your point," Jessie said rather harshly, slamming down her ice cream cone paper after gulping the rest whole.

"All right," the blue-haired boy said a bit dejectedly. "Well," he added as he turned to leave, "see you 'round."

With that, he started towards the glass door without a glance backwards.

The Rocket Trio engaged in a quieter conversation than before, not wanting to be overheard this time.

"Actually… What if we was ta give his idea a shot?" Meowth suggested in a whispered tone. "If we got dem twoips ta trust us with disguises _and_ another poy-son, we could swipe Pikachu and finally get a chance to quit chasin' after dem and dat yellow rat."

"Hmm, sounds a little appealing. Maybe we can resist the urge to say our motto just this once, James? For both us and Pikachu?"

"Maybe, Jess, may_be_."

All three nodded in agreement. James stood up from the booth, and called out to the boy, who turned around, his hand just on the door handle.

"Hey," James said. "What was your name, kid?"

The young man put his hand down and managed a smile.

"It's Sargasso."

--------------------------------------------

Three innocent-looking people rounded the corner. One had long green hair, glasses, and a bright yellow tank top with gene shorts. Another had blue hair that was pulled back in a ponytail, leaving a single strand of hair lying on his face. This person also had sunglasses perched atop his head and a simple plaid jacket. A Meowth with a string tied tightly around its paw was walking beside the two looking utterly embarrassed, and the last person was a boy with bluish hair and a white vest.

"According to the twerp's daily regime," James said in an undertone, straightening his plaid jacket, "they ought to be exiting the Pokemon Center pretty soon."

"But how's we gonna get by with me an' all dat? Don't dey always remembah dat 'talking Meowth'?"

"Simple!" Jessie exclaimed, fixing her glasses menacingly. "You'll just have to keep your big me-owth shut the whole time!"

"That's why we fastened that string around your paw in the first place; for a reminder!"

"But how's a string gonna keep me from talkin'? My part's embarrassin'," Meowth wanted to know, looking doubtfully at his two friends.

"Well," Jessie said sweetly with a tinge of bitterness, "Do you want us to have to tighten it any more than it is already?"

"Ehhhh…" The cat Pokemon sweatdropped. "Meow?"

"Great impression," James said. He couldn't help but grin widely.

"That must be them now," Sargasso said suddenly, pointing towards the Pokemon Center's doors as they slid back.

"Gee, that really doesn't make much sense at all," the lead twerp said.

"How could Caldera disappear into thin air like that?" Brock wondered aloud.

"I'll bet the bottle of cough syrup Nurse Joy's assistant found was just a fake," Max said proficiently, readjusting his glasses smugly.

"I don't know, Max. It seemed pretty authentic to me," May pointed out.

As Max made another retort, Jessie turned to her comrades and whispered, "On with the show, just like we planned!" The other three nodded, grinning resolutely.

Meowth dashed at full speed on all fours past the twerps to start off, being closely pursued by Jessie, James, and Sargasso.

"Somebody grab that Meowth!" James exclaimed frantically. The foursome looked up a moment too late, and Meowth ran into Max by 'accident', knocking the boy over. Despite the chaos he had made, the cat Pokemon sped up once again and went around for another confusing loop.

"_Grab that Meowth!_" Jessie cried out.

This cry for help finally got a reaction from the twerps, as Pikachu and Ash hurried after Meowth in a frenzy.

"I'll catch it!" the boy yelled, making an amazing dive for Meowth with both of his arms outstretched.

As the cat Pokemon swerved, Ash crashed to the ground, leaving Pikachu to fend for itself. Meowth tried to hide a smirk as he glanced back to look at the lead twerp, but failed miserably and even chuckled a bit. As he looked forwards once again, however, he accidentally ran straight into Brock.

"Gotcha!" the spiky-haired kid exclaimed, triumphantly holding the humiliated Meowth out to his 'owners'. The girl with the green hair plucked Meowth from his grasp and made sure he didn't get away again.

"Oh!" Jessie sputtered in her best 'pleased' voice (complete with clasped hands). "Thank you very much!"

"We're sorry to cause you so much trouble, but without you, our dear Meowth would've gotten away," James said. (Here Meowth made a snort of laughter, though muffled by Jessie.)

"Ahh, that's all right," Ash said, standing up and rubbing some dirt off from his face. "We're just glad the Meowth is all right."

"Yeah, I guess," Max agreed mundanely as he raised himself as well.

"Meow," Meowth muttered sarcastically, though no one noticed the tone.

"Hmm!" May said, smiling and looking directly at Meowth. "He's such a cutie! Not at all like that nasty one that Team Rocket has." (The cat Pokemon sweatdropped.)

"Oh, yes, he's a dear when he's not all wound up!" Jessie said.

(Sargasso was meanwhile standing beside the motley group looking rather satisfied.)

"Oh my!" Jessie exclaimed again in her overly pleasant voice. "We haven't introduced ourselves yet!"

"No, you haven't, Miss," Max said.

"Well, I'm Jeanette," Jessie declared.

"Jayme," James said with a grin.

"And I'm Sargasso," the boy said cheerily. Even Meowth managed a halfhearted "Meo" after Jessie elbowed him.

"So, can you tell us why your Meowth was acting so hyper?" Brock asked after the twerps had introduced themselves once again.

"Well, you see," Jessie began, "we were just planning on visiting the Pokemon Contest off in the next town. We've been looking forward to getting to see some action."

"Really?" May immediately began talking. "I'm _entering_ in that contest! Are you going to be in there too?"

"Slow down, now, Miss May," James said. "We're just spectators. However, we will be most pleased to cheer you on in your competition."

Upon finishing the last sentence, Jessie abruptly grabbed James and Meowth into a group huddle without warning, nearly choking James when she seized his jacket's collar.

"Jess, what was that for?" he whispered a bit angrily, rubbing his neck.

Ignoring the clueless expressions of the twerps behind them, Jessie went on to answer. "We would _never_ sink so low as to cheer for the twerps! That wasn't in our script!"

"Den we've sunk already," Meowth pointed out. "We cheered for Pikachu that once back in Vermillion City, remembah?"

"Oh, that's right," Jessie said, her expression slackening. "Well, we're acting this time anyway, I guess."

"Meeting adjourned!" James whacked a hammer (which he pulled from thin air) onto the ground, and all three turned back to the twerps, who were now engaged in a friendly conversation with Sargasso.

* * *

At this point in the story, I lost some interest and also got a severe case of writer's block. (By far, I enjoyed writing the first chapter the most, and, not knowing exactly how to bring the story further, I felt like it had served its purpose.) 

Hmmm... Well, I'm not sure if I'll ever finish it (although I did write a _really_ lousy ending out of frustration), but I hope you enjoyed it!


	4. Contesting

Author's Slightly Irrelevant Note

As you enter the room, you peer up into the gloom. The lack of proper lighting makes you uneasy, but nevertheless, you push forward into the room until you make out a vague shape in the center. As a flash of lightning cracks across the sky outside, you see the shape begin to tremble ominously.

Astonished, you take a step back as another flash of lightning illuminates the room—there is a figure rising from the slab in the middle of the room! As the lamps in the room begin to reappear, you witness the shape cry out into the building,

"I LIIIIIIIIIVE!"

At a closer inspection, you realize that this is no mere figure before you; this is one of the most terrifying creatures in the world: _an author!_

"Yes," it says hoarsely upon recognizing your presence, "I am alive and well. I just had writer's block for too long."

She notices your incredulous expression and goes on, unfazed.

"Well, alright, so I lost interest for a little while too. It's hard to write for fickle characters, you know?" The author laughs, as if mortified. "But in any case, I finished chapter four! Isn't that great? I hope so, anyway. I'm so sorry for not finishing it sooner! Do me a favor and tell me how it is, honestly. Sometimes I tend to ramble and try to pass it off as 'character building.' Good grief, I'm so sorry I didn't finish sooner!"

She then indicates to two of the reviewers with a grin.

"Twilight the Umbreon, Foxyjosh, thanks a lot for you comments! I hope you (and everyone else) find this chapter as satisfying as the others.

"But I guess I should be quiet so you can actually read it! Please enjoy, and sorry for being tardy again!"

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. If I did, I hope there wouldn't be any kind of lawsuit.

* * *

Chapter Four

Contesting

"I find the Contests fascinating to watch," Sargasso was saying presently.

"Yeah, they're really interesting because you can see how different coordinators apply different techniques," Brock agreed.

"So what kind of technique do you use, May?"

"Oh," May said. "I try lots of different things with my Beautifly. You know, Silver Wind works pretty well…"

Here, the girl paused. She had been watching Sargasso's countenance for some time, and there was something strange and yet familiar in its gaze. May could have sworn that Caldera had had the same sort of content and sincere face. She felt compelled to ask him suddenly,

"Hey… You wouldn't happen to know about another Contest coordinator named Caldera, would you?"

This unanticipated question made Ash, Brock, and Max turn to look at her inquiringly, but the interrogator continued to watch her subject. Sargasso, in turn, looked at May with a puzzled expression. His bluish eyebrows wavered uncertainly, as if searching for an appropriate answer.

"No," he replied at last. "I don't believe I know anyone like that."

"Oh well. It was worth a try!" May explained to her comrades and smiled at the boy.

At this point, "Jeanette," "Jayme," and Meowth made their presence known once again to the twerps.

"My, my, we must apologize for leaving you dangling like that."

"That's alright," Ash said cheerily as he turned to the trio.

"But now we've decided." James went on, striking a rather valiant pose. "When shall we get going to the Pokemon Contest?"

"Well, it should be fairly soon," Brock observed.

"But it _is_ in the next town," Max pointed out, pulling out his PokeNav and inspecting the map seriously.

"Then we should probably get going." Sargasso nodded.

"We—we're not going by _foot_…_together_, are we?" Jessie asked incredulously in slight revulsion at the thought of spending quality time with the twerps.

"Yeah, how else would we get there?" Ash murmured.

"If we all had bicycles, or maybe a car, it might be easier. But we don't have any of those…" Brock stated simply.

"So we'll be walking!" May exclaimed. She glanced at their guests. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, no," James hastily put in. "We'll all walk together! It will be a _wonderful_ journey with what all the Contest anticipation."

"Of all the—" Meowth began in a mutter. Jessie whacked him on the head before he could go further, and quickly turned the contact into an affectionate noogie.

"Ha ha," she stuttered through a wide grin. "I—I'm sure we'll have a good trip."

"We'd bettah," mumbled Meowth inaudibly and resentfully as he unruffled the fur on his head.

* * *

In fact, the walk wasn't nearly as bad as Jessie, James, and Meowth had expected. The twerps were surprisingly quiet as they strode with their fists clenched in a power-walk in the front. Sargasso walked in the middle, much like a mediator, and the three shuffled along in the rear.

Occasionally, someone would say something, but Jessie, James, and Meowth didn't pay much attention to these remarks. Most of the time, they were along the lines of, "I wonder if many other coordinators are there?" or "I can't wait to win my next ribbon!" Idle chatter, they decided.

At long last, however, the group arrived at the acclaimed town near sunset. They had to be glad for the lack of interruptions. The last thing Jessie, James, and Meowth wanted to do was go on some featherbrained mini-episode with their temporary companions.

"All right, we made great time!" was the first thing uttered.

"I hate these long workouts…" Jessie said as she nearly melted onto the walking stick she had acquired. Looking up, the sign above the road read out in simple, arched letters: "Ochros Town".

"Well, we're here!" Ash said again enthusiastically. He turned from the sign to the entire group. "We can go and check out the Pokemon Center here first!"

"Pikachu!" the yellow rat agreed.

"I guess the Contest won't start 'til tomorrow, right?" May wondered.

"Probably not," Sargasso mused. "It'd be best to wait it out." He glanced worriedly at the other three. "You guys okay?"

"Fine, fine."

They whisked the knobby walking sticks out of sight and grinned a little too widely to be believable.

"It will be a very pleasant day tomorrow, I'm quite sure," Jessie voiced through her overly happy teeth.

" 'Red sky at night, sailors' delight'," James recited optimistically as he gazed off at the setting sun and the wispy scarlet clouds that drifted near the horizon. The party proceeded in the direction of the Pokemon Center, and Meowth lighted like a Pidgey on James's shoulder and mumbled cynically,

"We ain't sailors, Jimmy."

* * *

Dawn broke with such an unwelcome abruptness that James was sure the old farmers' adage had indeed been proven wrong. He sat up in the PokeCenter bed blearily and accidentally bumped his head on the ceiling.

Muttering under his breath about how bunk beds were always too high, he clambered down the ladder, slipped on the plaid jacket, and took his disguising sunglasses from the end table. He hoped he hadn't woken anyone up. Glancing around the room, it seemed all the male twerps and Sargasso were still resting. Pikachu caught his eye. _Curled up like an innocent little ball of string,_ he thought. Wouldn't it be easier to snatch it now, rather than wait for a better opportunity? _No, no,_ James decided firmly, turning away from the temptation and shaking his head from the thought. _That wasn't the plan. I've got to stick with the plan._

Meowth was no longer warming the sheets on his bunk, so James concluded that he must have been prowling around the Center somewhere. It was better to find him before it turned out the cat Pokemon had pillaged the food supply.

Outside, James tied his shoelaces and stealthily shut the door. Jessie and the twerp, May, would be in the neighboring facility.

_Poor Jess,_ he reflected as he stopped before the door. _I hope she's not gone insane yet. The twerps _can_ get a bit annoying._

He tapped gingerly on the door; if Jessie were awake, she would hear it.

…But no one answered, so James went off to hunt Meowth down. It was not a difficult task. He was able to detect a loud, resonating clang after he had gone towards the entrance, and James began following the source to the kitchen.

Another crash. James picked up his pace and ended up running after the third sound: a quick splat.

He arrived at the scene just in time to see Nurse Joy and her assistant reprimanding his friend. A couple of pans had capsized onto the floor and some tomato soup was leaking out across the tiles.

"Bad Meowth! _Bad Meowth!_"

"Chansey chan chan!"

The Nurse caught James's presence in an instant. Whirling to face him and point accusingly at Meowth, she demanded venomously, "Is this _your_ Meowth?"

Without waiting for an answer, she swept up the cat Pokemon and promptly held him out at arm's length to James.

"Uhhh…" In turn, he sweatdropped and held his arms out to accept Meowth, who gave him a guilty grin. Nurse Joy dropped him into James's care with a venomous glower.

"You be sure to keep him out of the kitchen from now on!" she condemned, extremely rankled and seizing some rags unceremoniously from a cabinet. "You've got to keep young Pokemon's appetites in control, you know! Breakfast isn't going to take forever!"

The nurse spun away to mop up the soup with her Chansey, and James decided this was an ideal time to slink away unnoticed. He and Meowth edged out and hurried on back to the guestroom area, where James was mildly surprised to find everyone else up and about.

"Well, are you ready for your Contest, May?"

"I've been worrying about it all night… What if I'm not ready?"

"You'll do fine. Don't worry!"

"Thanks."

"What Pokemon are you planning to use?"

"I was thinking of Beautifly. I'm not sure if the others are ready yet."

"I'm sure Beautifly will do very well."

Sargasso made his way over to the indistinct pod of Jessie, James, and Meowth standing slightly apart from the twerps.

"You could join in the conversation," he murmured optimistically. "You were doing quite well with chatting yesterday. Don't let prejudices get in the way, I've always said…"

The only thing the three of them gave the boy was the classic that-was-so-funny-I-forgot-to-laugh stare. Sargasso sighed and stepped back as Ash turned towards the Rocket Trio and inquired,

"Well? How about you guys? Are you ready to see a great Pokemon Contest?"

"Are we _ever_," Jessie grumbled under her breath. Then she switched to her genial tone once again, but it was slightly tinted with resentfulness. "All in good time," she chirped. "All in good time, _Ash_."

"Perhaps we should wait for breakfast to be served," James proposed, thinking of Meowth, who was sitting despondently on all fours by his feet.

"I don't think it's been served yet," Brock said while he peered around the corner in the direction of the kitchen.

"Maybe something delayed it," Max suggested. (Meowth coughed hastily.)

"Well, if we wait much longer, May won't be able to register in time!"

"That's all right, Ash. I bet Brock would be happy to conjure up something for us on the way!"

"Sure thing!"

"I suppose we could do that… But it seems out dear, _dear_ Meowth is awfully hungry, as are we…"

"Then Brock's cooking will be extra-perfect!"

And with that, the twerps bustled out of the hall and were on their way. Jessie and James had no choice but to follow them, and Meowth and Sargasso played as the caboose of the party.

"Dis is really wracking my noives," the cat Pokemon sighed. "Dere's gotta be somet'in' better than doin' dis."

"Just shut up and go along with it," Jessie retorted bitterly.

"Optimism is a good first step." _Sargasso said that as though he meant it,_ James observed as they made it back into the open and were just behind the twerps.

* * *

The Contest building was a blindingly bright yellow color, and a stunning orange ribbon hung above the double doors. The twerps walked in casually to register and it seemed like an eternity to Jessie, James, and Meowth before they finally sat down in the bleachers.

"I'm surprised your Meowth is so calm," Brock told them amiably while the other spectators filed into the seats. "You said it was so excited yesterday because of the Contest anticipation."

"Oh, it's probably just full from all that Pokemon food you so graciously offered it," James supplied.

_Driest stuff I've evah had,_ Meowth thought to himself. He rubbed his stomach as if to console its loss, but the gesture was misinterpreted as utter satiation.

"I guess I should have checked how much it was eating," the twerp said. "By the way," he added, "how did you like those sandwiches I made?"

"They were quite delicious, lad," James complimented truthfully.

Then, because she thought she ought to help her comrade out and contribute to this somewhat safe discussion, Jessie put in, "You simply _must_ give us the recipe before the contest is over."

"Oh, sure." The breeder smiled pleasantly. "I'd be happy to do that. Would you like the recipe for the Meowth food too?"

"No-o-o-o-o-o-o…" Meowth pleaded from the bench space in between the other two Rockets.

Brock quickly glanced over, astonished, but James hastened to say, "Oh, don't mind him—our dear old Meowth is just _moaning_ with gratification and his full stomach."

"And his full mouth," Jessie muttered softly.

"Hey!" Max interjected suddenly, pointing unnecessarily towards the Contest floor. "They're starting!"

"Look! There's May!" Ash said, equally gratuitously and looking off to the side of the stage.

"Drew too," Brock pointed out.

"Is he a friend of yours?" Sargasso asked affably.

"He's sort of a rival for May."

"His attitude makes May try even harder than normal, so I guess it's a good thing."

"Oh, yes, rivals do tend to have that effect, don't they?" Jessie's "sweet" voice sounded as if it were on the brink of explosion, so James put his hand on her shoulder in attempt to let off some of her steam.

"And it seems they're starting up the first round now," he said, gesturing to the arena.

The judges were introduced and the contestants were brought forward with a lively flourish. James felt it wasn't as interesting without Jessie among the ranks, but the show was still impressive.

There was an notable act with a Ditto, some Furrets that could waltz, a Xatu that was deft with blazing sparks and other impressive visual attacks, and even an off the wall recital involving a Pelipper that could carry its trainer in its mouth.

Their inapt companions would gasp and discuss the performances accordingly among themselves, occasionally asking James and Jessie what they thought of the whole thing.

"It's amazing, really!"

"Very sophisticated planning on the coordinator's part."

"A very nice touch."

May pulled off her Beautifly's silver wind act with a high score. The judges had adored the elaborate loops the Pokemon made in the air; consequently, the Rocket trio admired it as well.

The rival guy with the green hair (Drew, as they were repeatedly told) performed with a secure professional air and received a near-perfect score. James looked over and caught Jessie and Meowth eying the kid's Masquerain and had to communicate to them to stick to the plan.

After the first round was through, the twerps showed them around to the locker rooms, where they greeted May and her Beautifly with enthusiasm.

"You put on a wonderful show, Miss May," James congratulated her. Suddenly, he realized that he was saying something truthful—for he _had_ thought it was a striking act. He almost took it back, out of habit, but then he remembered that he was in character and coughed to cover up his moment of hesitation. _I've been truthful a lot lately,_ he reflected with disbelief. _Wonder if I'm coming down with something._

"It was _marvelous,_" Jessie crooned, clasping her hands beside her head and practically glowing with feigned admiration. James had no doubt that she was wishing the girl hadn't gotten such a good tally.

"Thanks, Jeanette, Jayme," May said cheerily. "It means a lot." She turned to her prize Pokemon and beamed. "You did really great, Beautifly."

"Yeah, it was pretty good," Ash agreed.

"Maybe you should try some different techniques next time."

"I'll do that. Only…" May stood up and peered around the corner, as if waiting for a bus. The group watched as she turned back to them.

"…Only Caldera never came."

Her brother, Max, stroked the rim of his glasses in thought.

"I'd say, just forget about it," he said. "It's no good mulling over something like that."

In the brief silence that followed, Sargasso's foot could be heard enigmatically tapping on the floor, but it was paid very little heed.

"Looks like they're putting up the contestants for the next round," Brock observed. This diverted May's thoughts long enough to spin around anxiously towards the screen as the numerous trainers flickered onto the board.

At last, her picture was displayed, and it seemed as if the entire room breathed a sigh of relief.

"I made it!"

"Way to go, May!"

"You show 'em who's boss next round!"

"You'll do just fine," Jessie confirmed tunefully.

Then, suddenly, as if in reply to the misleading gleam in her wire-rimmed glasses, the lights in the locker room shuddered inauspiciously. A shriek of dismay was heard tumbling down the hallway, and soon after the lights were revived, a crackling sound was heard over the intercom.

"Pikaaa!"

"What's going on?" Ash cried in apprehension, glancing to and fro for an explanation. In turn, the explanation came to them.

Guides were shepherding everyone outside while screeching, "Something's going on in the arena! Everyone out! OUT!"


	5. A Wrapped Ribbon Box

Author's Last Note

This is the final chapter of Vulpix and Shovels. It leaves many things to your imagination, and that's intended. There's a certain scene that's particularly curious, and I have an idea about it, but it's really up to you how you want to interpret it. I just hope I wrote it well and not too abruptly.

Also, I mention mochi in this chapter. For those of you who don't know, mochi is a sweet Japanese rice cake. Most of the time, it's filled with a sweet bean paste. I know this doesn't sound very flattering to the food in question, but it's _really_ good! Anyway, that's what mochi is for when you come across it.

But anyway and again, this is the final chapter. I really hope you like it! Thanks to all of you who have reviewed my story—you have my earnest gratitude. I actually had fun with this, and there's a little more heart in it than the former chapters.

My customary disclaimer? I don't own Pokemon at all. Enough said.

Now please, reader, read on and enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Five

A Wrapped Ribbon Box

Whilst the rest of the locker room inhabitants were leaking away screaming outside, the twerps merely stood there hesitating like the fools they were in the middle of the room, flashing alarmed glances this way and that—as if the situation was going to resolve itself.

"Don't just _stand_ there! Get outta here, kids!" one of the ushers cried irritably.

"But—but, sir!"

"Just do it; this place is collapsing!"

On cue, a continuous quake issued from the building, and the twerps, Sargasso, and the masquerading Team Rocket trio whirled around to ogle at the ceiling. Sargasso finally got a hold of himself as even the ushers started to rush out. "C'mon!"

May recalled her Beautifly in the chaos, and despite the rumbling and trembling, Sargasso forced his way towards the exit with all the others in close pursuit. But as Murphy's Law persisted, a ghastly crumbling hum sounded from above.

The group halted in sheer terror. An even louder crackling followed this unpromising racket—and a hefty chunk of the ceiling broke loose and crashed to the tiled floor, leaving an unsightly crater behind the staring cluster. Cracks were seeping out across the ceiling as fast as a Dragonite could fly, and before Sargasso's group could even blink, the cracks had grown directly above them.

Like a furious monster, the building roared and let loose a torrent of broken ceiling upon the group. Mortar, cardboard, wood, cement, piping—all of it came raining down like oversized hail. A gigantic portion began to unhinge itself directly above the latter of the group, and there was a shrieking dash as both James and Max dove forward to seize May's arm and fling her out of harm's way just as the piece crashed to the floor.

"_Just move! Just move it!"_

Finally, their legs moved willingly, and their minds raced madly in time with them toward the door.

With a unanimous heave, they blasted open the door and tumbled out onto the welcoming grass outside the Contest building. The area was laden with the panic-stricken Contest coordinators and spectators. Everyone tried to catch his or her breath, but it was only a few seconds before someone yelped and frantically pointed to the crumbling building.

"Watch! Watch!"

The twerps spun around on the grass to see a frighteningly large lead pipe falling into the refuge.

"Ninetales!" Sargasso exclaimed, suddenly yanking out a Great Ball from his vest and lobbing it at the pipeline. "Use Protect!"

From the white beam of the Pokeball, Sargasso's willowy Ninetales sped out and glowed with a powerful Protect that stopped the pipe in midair, making it slide off harmlessly to the side. The crowd's heavy breathing was audible in the half-silence that followed.

"_What the heck happened in there?"_ Ash gasped, righting himself.

"As long as we got out," May panted, "I don't really mind what caused it."

The group hustled away from the hostile structure as a frantic male trainer exploded with the answer.

"I didn't mean to!" he cried hysterically, waving his arms around. "I didn't know it would do that to the building!"

"What did you _do_?" Brock queried in disbelief.

"I sent out my Snorlax for the Contest!" The trainer was now wringing his hands. "He's got a temper—used Body Slam when he found out we didn't make it to the next round!" At this point, he began going on in frenzied sentences that blended together incoherently. A friend of his beside him took over the story after telling him to calm down.

"His Snorlax hit the wall with—get a _grip_, Jacob—hit the wall with such force that it broke through and kind of destroyed an important part of the base's construction. It made the entire building start to collapse."

"You ought to get your Snorlax's temper in check."

"Yeah."

"You're not the first person who's told him that."

"I tried to! I really did!" the Snorlax trainer said, still uptight.

"Well, work harder, then!" his friend countered. "Someone could have died!"

As the two started a heated argument, the twerps turned their attention back among themselves.

"Gosh, I'm glad we made it out of there," Ash voiced.

"I'll say," Brock concurred with a nod.

"Pikaaa…"

"Oh," May said, having remembered something. "Thanks, Sargasso. Your Ninetales really was great."

"It was nothing," the blue-haired boy replied, pocketing the ball again with a grin.

"And thanks for helping me out, Max," May went on, turning to her little brother.

"You should just watch out next time."

"And you too, Jayme…" Now the girl turned towards the Rocket trio, but gasped before she had fully expressed her gratitude. She pointed awkwardly to James's hairdo. "Um…Jayme, I think your ponytail came undone while we were running."

James blinked in horror, and then swiveled around into a group huddle with Jessie and Meowth, all of which had been attempting to blend into the background of the scene as much as possible the entire time.

"Why didn't you _tell_ me my hair had gone awry?" James demanded in a whisper while desperately trying to redo his ponytail.

Jessie, meanwhile, was checking her pockets. "Why didn't _you _tell _me_ I had lost my glasses?"

"I didn't notice in all the rush! And afterward, we were just trying to blend in!"

"And I don't even got to worry 'bout disguises."

"Yes, you do! Shut your Meowth and meow, or something!"

The three twirled back around to Sargasso and the twerps.

"It was no problem, missy," James recovered, now complete with his ponytail. "I was glad to do it."

The twerps were, however, regarding the three suspiciously.

"Wait just a minute!" Ash cried, directing his gloved finger at them. "You can't be Jayme and Jeanette! You're—_Team Rocket!"_ He spat out the title as though it was a nasty medicine.

After receiving a subtle hand gesture from Jessie, James gave Ash a very quizzical look.

"Why," he said, sounding innocent and a bit hurt, "I don't know what you're talking about. We sat and watched the Contest with you, we cheered you on, and—"

"—And you're absolute phonies!" the twerp finished bitterly.

Jessie's word began with a growing growl. "Well, all right," she sputtered angrily, thwacking Meowth on the head to relieve her fury. "Prepare for trouble; we were in disguise."

James followed up with an unenthusiastic groan. "And make it double; we're all set for goodbyes."

"To protect the Contests from being drawn-out and long."

"To unite all people into one safe little throng…"

"To denounce the evils of mortar and stone."

"To extend our reach to all unbeknown…"

"Jessie!"

"James…"

"Team Rocket changes costumes at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to meet our pretext's might…"

Here Meowth wavered up, having recovered from Jessie's blow. "Meowth, dat's right…!"

"Alright, what do you want this time?" Max inquired with a tinge of annoyance.

"Nothing, this time!" James barked irately. Jessie and Meowth looked taken aback, for they had been poised to pounce upon Pikachu. In turn, the yellow rat sprang down from Ash's shoulder and sparked its cheeks threateningly.

Jessie watched Pikachu cautiously, but continued for James. "You twerps ruined everything, that's what!"

"Just get it over with!" At this command, James spread his arms wide and braced himself for an electrical shock.

For the first time in the Rockets' memory, the twerp actually hesitated. It was as though Caldera stood between them like an invisible shield once more; Ash didn't bring his finger down to attack, nor did any of the other twerps move. They all held their breath in apprehensive anticipation and gradually began turning blue.

The standard color returned to their cheeks as Ash dropped his eyes to the ground. His trademark hat shadowed his entire face, save his unsmiling mouth. Without a word, he motioned his arm for Pikachu to hold back, who stared questioningly at its trainer and jumped onto his shoulder perch once again. Ash turned away, not even making eye contact with the Rocket trio, and strode past his friends towards the road. Their eyes gazed at Team Rocket, and then darted back to Ash. Then they made a cumulative decision and caught up with the black-haired twerp.

"Ash," Brock began, inspecting his old friend warily. "are you okay?"

Ash looked up, erasing the shadows cast on his face, but he would only look straight ahead at the dirt road.

"Just this once," he intoned softly.

"Ash, you're starting to creep me out," Max said in wonder.

"Just this once I won't give 'em what they deserve," Ash replied crossly. "Just this once."

"…Because of what Caldera said?" May whispered uncertainly.

Ash hesitated. "…Because James helped you back there," he said at length, though his response sounded somewhat labored.

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James, Jessie, and Meowth were still standing stupefied in the middle of the grassy field by the time the twerps had gotten to the road.

"Well," Meowth said, breaking the amazed silence. "Ain't that sumt'in'…"

"We've never had two days in a row where we didn't blast off," James remarked unbelievingly.

"Maybe ya'll hafta change da motto…" Meowth murmured. Jessie and James broke loose of their constrained bemused positions in order to glare at him.

"We'll _never_ change the motto!" they exclaimed in unison.

"We may make minor changes here and there so it suits the occasion…!" Jessie exclaimed.

"…But we'd _never_ take out the part about blasting off at the speed of light!" James cried. "It's one of the best lines!"

"We'll _always_ be able to blast off at the speed of light!"

"Although I'm sure it won't be long before we get the twerps mad enough again."

"Alright, alright! …But what're we gonna do now? The twoips are stayin' here, so we can't follow them someplace new."

"We could go back to the Pokemon Center," James suggested.

"But that's where the twerps are going!" Jessie counteracted.

"They've got free food and free bedding, Jess!"

"Free food… Dat sounds good! Anyt'in' dey've got is better than that twoip's brown mush."

"And a good bed for my much-needed beauty sleep."

James beamed. "Then it's settled! Back to the Pokemon Center we go!"

"YEAH!" The three struck a pose of joy, which was only broken when James lowered his arm and added, "…We'll just make sure we avoid the twerps while they're in there too."

"Right. Now—"

Abruptly, Jessie halted.

"Now what, Jess?" Meowth asked.

"That kid—" she stumbled, whirling around the grassy area. "That kid with the blue hair."

James and Meowth now blinked in confusion as they too scanned the area; Sargasso was nowhere to be found!

"Do you suppose he left without us when we started saying the motto?"

"Ain't likely."

"Let's just get to that Center; my stomach is growling. If the kid's there, he's there, and if he's not, he's not."

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Meanwhile, someplace very far away, two voices were conversing softly in very airy voices.

"I think we did very well, don't you think so?" said the first.

"Yes," answered the second. "We did much better than I thought we would."

"It was enjoyable too! I haven't had that much fun since that stone hit Mt. Moon."

"You only had fun because of the medicine bottle. You had them stumped."

"Well, you got to give Ninetales some exercise. That was quite a privilege."

"Alright. But more than that, I hope they come to an agreement."

"More than an agreement! They should to learn some good lessons—lessons that can't be taught through volts."

"In any case, I believe we gave them a good start. Something to think about—some food for thought."

"Oh, it's a good start, but they ought to have started long ago."

"Perhaps, perhaps not. It's always difficult to tell how something would have ended up if it had not occurred at all."

"How true! But it doesn't change the fact that theirhatred wasn't good."

"Yes… But we gave them a good start."

"A good start!"

"A good start."

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That night, Ash, his friends, and Team Rocket returned to the Pokemon Center separately and disappeared into their respective rooms far apart from each other. The following day, Ash's troupe went to inquire about the state of the Contest arena, and the Rockets spent the entire day lounging around in the cafeteria until the twerps fetched their dinner. Seeing as the Ochros Town Contest would be down for some time, Ash and May decided that they would continue their journey on to the next Contest and Gym.

While Ash, Brock, and Max went back to their room that night, May decided to stay and sit in the cafeteria booth by herself, contemplating the past few days. She sighed thoughtfully with her head propped up in her left palm and her right hand disconnectedly stirring her raspberry smoothie.

At length, she put the spoon down and peered out through the window at the gleaming streetlamps outside. May nodded to herself, having made up her mind, and took her smoothie glass to the counter before heading out into the starry night alone.

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The following morning, it was finally time for everyone to move on. It seemed otherworldly to all of them—as if they were drifting in a dream and about to surface into reality again as they went on with their normal regime as though Ochros had never happened.

Ash was up early and made sure everyone else left on time, and Jessie, James, and Meowth were not far behind as they prepared to depart. Unexpectedly, they were stopped in their tracks as Nurse Joy met them in the lobby.

"You're Jayme, Jeanette, and Meowth, aren't you?" she questioned optimistically.

"Well," James began, unsure. "Yes and no."

Nurse Joy reached beneath the counter and took out a small orange package along with a tag with their fake aliases.

"A girl came by last night and told me to give this to you. I think her name was May."

The three leaned over the parcel warily, almost afraid that it might be a Pikachu in the box.

"It won't bite," Nurse Joy assured them. "She said that it was quite safe." The nurse held it out to them, and Jessie had no choice but to accept the fishy gift.

"What do you suppose it is, Jess?" James speculated.

"Don't know," she replied. "We'll open it outside, I guess."

"Well, have a safe trip!" Nurse Joy called happily from the counter. She and her Chansey waved merrily, and although they felt like idiots doing so, the three felt obligated to wave back. Afterwards, they hurried out of the Center to save face.

"Moving on now," Jessie mumbled with a slight sigh as she chucked the package into the bushes beside the Center.

"Jessie!"

Meowth gingerly retrieved the box from the leaves and waved it before her.

"It could be sumt'in' really good!"

"From the twerps? I doubt it."

"Ahh, come on, Jess. Have a spirit of adventure." James bent down and took the parcel from Meowth. "The worst that can happen is that we'll be blasted off."

"All right, fine," Jessie finally turned as James tore off the paper.

The orange paper floated to the ground, and Meowth crumpled it up as he asked, "What is it?"

"It's…" James began, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. "It's a box of mochi." He held the box out to show to his shorter companion. It was elaborately made, and through the clear cover they could see that each yellow piece was carved to resemble the head of a grinning Meowth, whiskers and all. The small package was bound with a gold and orange ribbon, not unlike the one the Contest would have awarded.

"And a note," Jessie pointed out, reaching underneath the ribbon to get a simple folded letter. Jessie grunted after skimming it. "Hmph. It's not much of a note, at that." She handed it to James.

" 'Sorry! Thanks. Next time,' " he read aloud. He scratched his head in thought, but said, "All the same, it was nice of her to give us something, after all those times…"

"Really been a weird couple a' days, huh?" Meowth observed. "Think Pikachu'll shock us next time?"

"Who knows?" Jessie sighed. "But I'll tell you one thing we _do_ know: this mochi won't taste as good tomorrow!" And without a further word, she slipped off the ribbon and the clear lid and plucked a Meowth-shaped mochi into her waiting mouth.

James did the same and tossed one to Meowth.

"You know," he said despite his full cheeks, "that kid Sargasso sounded crazy at first, but it might not be so hard to like the twerps after all."

"You're out of your mind!" Jessie and Meowth shrieked in disbelieving unison.

"You never know!" James exclaimed in undeterred delight as he held the box of mochi away from his two friends. He began inching away down the road towards their destination with the package waving above his head.

"Come back here with that!" Jessie and Meowth both began dashing after him in an effort to catch up.

"You never know!" James called again, laughing. "Sweets are a good way to start a truce!"

FINIS


End file.
